Heather Grace, Kerrville ISD
Role: Elementary School Librarian
District: Kerrville Independent School District
Location: Kerrville, Texas, USA
District Enrollment: 4,500 students
School Enrollment: 450 students
As an elementary school librarian, Heather Grace has helped shape her library into the heart of the school: a place where students feel seen and connected to reading and where creativity has room to thrive. From monthly Make and Take crafts to Pac-Man circulation sounds, she uses Destiny Library Manager to keep daily operations running smoothly while creating a library experience students want to be part of.
In Her Own Words
What is your role, and how long have you been in it?
“I’m an elementary school librarian. This is my eighth year in the role.”
What’s your favorite part of being a librarian today?
“This is tough to answer because I love everything about my job, but I think my favorite part is when a former student comes back years later and tells me they still love to read – and that I helped spark that in them. There’s something incredibly meaningful about fostering a love of reading in childhood and then getting to see that love grow and last over time. I also love getting to serve entire families (I’ve had some where I’ve had all seven siblings!) and watch that joy of learning spread across the entire family and throughout our community. Knowing that what begins in this library can stay with a child for life is a true gift.”
How has your library program changed over the years?
“When I first started, our library program looked very different. It was built around an Accelerated Reader model, so students were choosing books based more on their level than on their interests. The library itself wasn’t really seen as a place to stay; it was more of a stop to check out a book and move on, and honestly, it felt like a space people – including teachers – sometimes avoided. Over time, that’s completely shifted. The focus now is much more on helping students find books they genuinely love and connect with. The library has become a place where students want to be at all times. It is a place to read, but also a place to relax, create, and even just take a break when they need it. Teachers now know the library as the place that has everything they need, whether that is a cup of coffee, a random school supply, or an educational resource.”
What is the library’s most important responsibility at your district?
“I believe the most important responsibility of my library is to be the heart of the school. It is a place where people feel seen, heard, and safe, and where they know their needs will be met. For my students, that might look like finding the right book, having a space to take a breath, or simply knowing there’s an adult who knows them and cares about them. For staff, it can be a place to reset, collaborate, or just feel supported during a busy day.”
What’s one thing about your library program that you’re especially proud of?
“I’m really proud of my monthly Make and Take crafts for students and staff. With so much of the creative, hands-on work being taken out of the curriculum, it’s important to me that the library provides that outlet. Students get so excited to see what the craft is each month, and it gives them a chance to create, relax, and connect with the library in a different way.”
How Destiny Library Manager Helps
What is the biggest challenge that Destiny Library Manager helps you solve?
“Honestly, it helps me solve just about everything. Destiny Library Manager is what keeps my entire program running behind the scenes. It helps me manage my collection, keep track of students and circulation, run reports, and stay organized in a way that would be almost impossible otherwise.”
What Destiny Library Manager features do you and your staff/students enjoy most?
“I love being able to change the circulation sounds. I use Pac-Man sounds in my library, and students and staff love them and always giggle at the different noises. It’s a simple thing, but it adds so much fun and personality to the space.”
Any “hidden gems” or unique ways that you use Destiny Library Manager?
“Yes! One feature I really love – especially since I just discovered it – is the ability to customize the Top/Bottom Titles. It’s not exactly hidden, but it definitely felt like a great find. Before, I was just seeing data across the entire collection, but being able to narrow it down by type makes such a difference.”
Looking Ahead: AI and Learning from Peers
AI in libraries—are you more excited or apprehensive?
“I’m definitely more on the apprehensive side. I think there’s a place for technology to support what we do, but I’m very protective of the role that human connection, choice, and genuine engagement play in fostering a love of reading. That’s something I want to preserve.”
What would you most like to learn from fellow Destiny Library Manager users?
“This may be a simple answer, but I’d love for other users to know that whatever you’re trying to learn or figure out, the answer is out there, and it’s usually just a quick Google search away. I’ve found so many helpful tips, videos, and solutions just by taking a few minutes to look. Follett Software has done a great job of making that information widely available and easy to find.”
Just for Fun
You’re throwing a party and can invite five fictional characters. Who’s on the list?
“This is the hardest question I think I’ve ever answered in my life.”
- Owl from Winnie the Pooh: I’d genuinely love to hear him tell his stories, no matter how long they go on.
- Gandalf: his strength and wisdom are genuinely unmatched.
- Anne Shirley: I’m certain we would be kindred spirits.
- Matilda: she is the ultimate library kid.
- Amelia Bedelia: her literal thinking reminds me of myself as a child.
If your library had a theme song, what would it be?
“Lean on Me” by Bill Withers. “That song is all about community, support, and knowing that you don’t have to do things alone, which is exactly what I want my library to be.”
